Poinsettia plant named &#34;Fiscor Marble&#34;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Fiscor Marble’, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of variegated bracts with light-pink center and broad, cream-colored margin; tight, flat, medium-sized inflorescence with weakly lobed bracts; uniform, dark-green foliage, weak to moderately lobed; moderately compact, relatively wide plant habit; and medium early flower response.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofpoinsettia plant known by the cultivar name ‘Fiscor Marble’, andbotanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima.

[0002] ‘Fiscor Marble’ was derived from a naturally occurring mutationin the variety ‘Fiscorosa’ (U.S. Plant Pat No. 10,077). ‘Fiscorosa’ ischaracterized by pink colored bracts, dark-green foliage, and moderatelycompact, round and wide plant habit.

[0003] The mutation was discovered by Katharina Zerr, the inventor, in agreenhouse in Dorsten, Germany, in the fall of 1997, where small plantshad been grown from cuttings of the stock plants of ‘Fiscorosa’ in orderto check whether all these plants were still uniform and true to thetype.

[0004] One plant among the off-spring was completely mutated anddisplayed variegated, pink and cream colored, bracts. This plant wastaken to Hillscheid and left to develop vegetative shoots, which werecut by the inventor used for propagation (first asexual reproduction).The resulting plants were checked for stability of the newcharacteristics in 1998, and they proved to be uniform,—in contrast tothe off-spring of earlier discovered mutants of a similar type. Thistest was repeated on a larger scale in the fall of 1999.

[0005] Horticultural examination (of the clone) starting in 1999 andcontinuing thereafter has confirmed that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fiscor Marble’ are firmly fixedand retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Fiscor Marble’ which incombination distinguish this Poinsettia as a new and distinct cultivar:

[0007] 1. variegated bracts with light-pink center and broad,cream-colored margin;

[0008] 2. tight, flat, medium-sized inflorescence with weakly lobedbracts;

[0009] 3. uniform, dark-green foliage, weak to moderately lobed;

[0010] 4. moderately compact, relatively wide plant habit; and

[0011] 5. medium early flower response.

[0012] ‘Fiscor Marble’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, anddaylength. The following observations, measurements and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, under greenhouseconditions which approximate those generally used in commercialpractice.

[0013] Of the may commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fiscor Marble’ are the parent cultivar‘Fiscorosa’ and the cultivar ‘Freedom Marble’.

[0014] In comparison to the pink flowered variety ‘Fiscorosa’, ‘FiscorMarble’ has variegated, cream and light-pink colored bracts.Additionally, the reddish coloring of the stems and the petioles isweaker with ‘Fiscor Marble’, and the lobing of bracts and leaves issomewhat less distinct.

[0015] In comparison to ‘Freedom Marble’, ‘Fiscor Marble’ has similarlyor only slightly lighter colored bracts, but its bracts are smaller andhave a relatively smooth surface, in contrast to those of ‘FreedomMarble’, which are large and distinctly wrinkled. Furthermore, ‘FiscorMarble’ has a wider plant habit and does not start flowering as early,but in the medium (mid season) range.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0016] The accompanying color photographic drawing shows typicalinflorescence and foliage of ‘Fiscor Marble’, with colors being as trueas possible with illustrations of this type. The photograph shows amature potted plant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0017] The plants described were grown in a greenhouse in Hillscheid,Germany, in the fall of 2000. Rooted cuttings had been planted into 12cm pots on August 10, and plants had been pinched on August 24, leaving8 nodes. The minimum temperature was 20° C. until the end of September,and about 17-18° C. thereafter. The plants initiated flowers in naturalshort-day conditions in fall.

[0018] Observations and measurements were mainly taken at the beginningof full flowering. In the following description color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS). The colorvalues were determined indoors in a north light.

[0019] CLASSIFICATION: Botanical: Euphorbia pulcherrima Commercial:Poinsettia cv. ‘Fiscor Marble’ PARENTAGE: Naturally occurring mutationof ‘Fiscorosa’ PLANT: Form: Shrub, self-branching Growth habit:Moderately compact, medium height, pinched plants are bushy and wide inshape Height (above soil line): 19.5 cm Width: 45.5 cm Average number ofbranches: 7.5 Average number of inflorescence: 7.0 Stem color: Dullgreen, RHS 139 D, usually without traces of anthocyanin (reddish color)Rooting: Medium, about 20-24 days Blooming habit: Begin under naturalshort day conditions in fall: botanically cyathia open): in earlyDecember; commercially (bracts colored, marketable): around December 1Flowering response time: About 9 to 9.5 weeks Flowering season: Up toabout 5 weeks Keeping quality (shelf life): Good, more than 28 daysunder the conditions of the trial FOLIAGE: Shape: Ovate to broadelliptical, weak to moderately lobed, rounded to slightly acute base,and acuminated tip Margin: Entire Texture: Upper surface: smooth andflat, only weakly veined, color of veins: RHS 144 B to RHS 144 C Lowerleaf surface: Flat and smooth, except for the slightly protruding midriband finer side veins, which are arranged in a palmate pattern, the veincolor is greenish white, RHS 144 D Leaf blade Size: 13.0 cm long, 7.8 cmwide Petiole: 6.5 cm long Color: Generally dark-green Mature foliage:Upper surface, RHS 139 A, under surface, RHS 137 A New foliage: Upperside: RHS 143 B, under side: RHS 143 C Leaf petiole Color: Upper side:light green, RHS 144 C, lower side: whitish green, RHS 144 D Aspect:Almost horizontal DISEASE RESISTANCE: No special observations madeFLOWERING DESCRIPTION: Whole inflorescence with surrounding bracts:medium-sized, tight and flat with well overlapping bracts, horizontallydirected, diameter: 27.5 cm Bracts: Number of bracts per inflorescence:About 10-12 (length over 2 cm) Shape: Larger bracts are ovate, withrounded bases, and acuminated tips, and only weakly lobed, the smaller,younger bracts are broad elliptically shaped and usually without lobesSurface Texture: Smooth and flat, with the veins hardly visible on theupper surface Veins: As bracts mature, veins create a more rugosepattern similar to that of the foliage leaves, vein color of the lowerside is cream to greenish white, RHS 159 B to 145 C Bract Color:Generally bi-colored with light- pink center and broad, yellowish- whitemargin upper surface, center color RHS 51 C-D, more intense with youngerbracts: up to RHS 51 B, upper surface, margin: RHS 4 D to RHS 8 D, lowersurface, middle: RHS 51 C-D, lower surface, margin: RHS 4 C to RHS 4 DSize of largest bract: 13.8 cm long, 9.0 cm wide Petiole length: 2.2 cmPetiole color: Whitish- green, weakly brownish pink infused,approximately between RHS 144 D to RHS 159 A, often with a more intensepink stripe at the sides of the bract petiole Cyme: Diameter 15-20 mm,5-10 cyathia in a tight cluster Cyathium: Diameter about 5 mm, color:light green, RHS 143 C Nectar Cups: Intense yellow, uniform, noanthocyanin REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS: Stamens: Filaments light pink Pollen:Moderate, yellow Pistils: Light pink style and stigma, 6-lobed stigmaOvaries: Medium green, RHS 143 A-B, triangular, 3 ovules Fruit/Seed set:No seed set observed, but probably fertile

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named‘Fiscor Marble’, as described and illustrated herein.